


Aoba - Silver Thread

by RoeDusk



Series: Tapestry - Prologue [8]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-14 21:01:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11216196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoeDusk/pseuds/RoeDusk
Summary: Aoba was a skeptic before he got his team.





	Aoba - Silver Thread

As a child Aoba had always been the first to scoff at superstitions, at blessings or curses. Ninjas were able to do some really unexplainable things sometimes, but _they_ knew how they did it. And his parents said there was no such thing as luck, just skill and strategy, so he _knew_ superstitions weren’t true.

He’s not sure when he started doubting that.

He remembers Asuma rolling his eyes and asking how a clearly superior foe can die to a lucky shot. He remembers feeling something like solace, small and hard won, when Sugi taught him how to light incense for his parents at their graves. And he remembers Mikoto-sensei smiling at his whispered doubts and telling him fate, luck, or destiny is the hand you’re dealt, free will is the choices you make. He thinks it’s a combination of those things that finally convinced him, but he believes now.

He just wants to know how his team missed the curse that has hit every team since the Sannin.

The only thing he can think of is Mikoto-sensei. She could predict the weather accurately every time and stopped to talk to the oldest trees, leaving offerings at shrines the Uchiha still kept around the village. She’d take him with her when he needed the quiet, and he’d help her clean the worn stones and hidden statues until he could stand to risk the crowds again. Aoba hasn’t missed that it’s her team, her son, that survived the curse. It’s too much just to be coincidence.

Which makes him think she died rather than keep some of that protection for herself, just to make sure they’d all be alright.

So he walks around the village every morning, visiting all the shrines he can remember - piece by piece, talking to the oldest trees, making sure to keep them clean and cared for between missions. Asuma may have lost his faith but Mikoto-sensei gave Aoba this, he will do the best he can.

He’s headed for the Nidaime’s private remembrance when he meets Naruto for the first time. Rounding the bend off the main path just in time to hear an anguished shout of denial and other children laughing. Only they start whispering about angry ghosts a moment later and flee before he even does anything to scare them off. Left behind is a small blond boy apologizing quietly and trying to repair the scattered path marker.

Aoba steps forward to help gather the stones, only for the boy to flinch as he reached past, scrambling away and protesting his innocence.

“I just thought I’d help you clean up,” Aoba promised with a smile. “Getting the stones back into place is hard to do by yourself. Will you let me?”

The boy blinks at him in surprise, and a fair amount of suspicion, before agreeing. They worked to right the stones in silence for a long moment before the boy started rambling in something like a whisper. He told the stones what they were doing, narrating how those boys had just wanted to wreck the marker because they decided he liked it, so it had to be bad. He apologized for coming by so often to pay his respects the way he’d seen other people do, because he never wanted this to happen. He just wanted to talk, because out here it almost seemed like they could hear him, and nobody judged him for it. But he wouldn’t come back anymore, because he didn’t want them to get hurt again.

Well, Aoba wasn’t having that.

“You know there’s another shrine hidden further back?” he asked, smiling at the boy’s startled look. “People found this one and started leaving offerings here, which is nice and I keep it clean when I can, but it’s just a path marker. You’re supposed to start at this one, then walk until you reach the other one. Want me to show you?”

The blond hesitated, thinking it over carefully, then nodded. “Yea! If it’s a secret then the other boys won’t be able to smash it because they won’t know I was there!” He grinned up at Aoba and the ninja smiled.

“Well, help me hold these in place while I put the last stones back on, then we’ll be off.”

 

He showed the child how to get to the Nidame’s shrine and the meditation pool. Showed him the bowl shaped stone and how to light incense to place in it. He smiled when the boy asked if he could come back, and told him it was the Nidame’s choice. But he was happy to have someone come talk to him. Naruto lit up at the praise and Aoba had to calm him down again to offer the boy his name, freezing when Naruto beamed and offered his own in reply.

Because Sarutobi had told them Minato and Kushina’s child died when the Kyuubi attacked. That that was why the Hokage had thrown his life into sealing the demon away, following his family in death rather than trying to live on. And yet, Naruto _Uzumaki_ had his father’s hair and his mother’s last name. Sarutobi lied, and hadn’t even bothered trying to cover it up.

He was hugging Naruto before he really thought about it, much to the boy’s surprise. Because this would have been precious to Mikoto-sensei, if she’d been allowed to question the lie. So Aoba would do his best to protect Naruto for her.

“Hey, Naruto. My landlord is looking for someone to move into the apartment above mine, how about I talk to him and see if he’ll let you move in? Then you can come over whenever you want?”

There’s a beat, and Aoba wonders if he said it wrong, or if it isn’t enough. He knows he couldn’t get away with taking the boy in, the Hokage would never let him. He could get away with this, but Naruto might want more. Then Naruto is babbling and clinging to him, saying yes over and over again and begging him not to change his mind. Aoba hugs him back with a smile.

He’s far too young for a son, but a younger brother sounds just about right.

**Author's Note:**

> And Aoba has decided he lives in the apartment under Naruto's. 
> 
> I imagine he's the one who taught Naruto how to cook Ramen without injuring himself too badly.


End file.
